Improvement in fire-plugs



C. F. RAPP.

FIEE-PLUG.

;Patented Nov. 2,1875.

WITNESSES muslim N. PEI'ERS. FHUTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHXNGTON D C PATENT rrron CHRISTIAN F. RPP, OINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-`PLUGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l69,476, daied November 2, 1875; application filed August 28, 1875. I

CASE A.

To all whom ?Zt may concm:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN F. RAPP, of Cincinnati, in the connty of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a newand Improved Fire-Plug, of which the following is a specification In the accompanying drawing, Fgure l represents a front elevation of myimproved fire-plug; Fig. 2, a front view of the interior i of fire-plug, with face-plate detached; Fig. 3,

.supplying water to the fire-engines, and prevented from freezing in the Winter by a reliable and Conveniently-working device.

The invention will first be described in connectionwith drawing, and then pointed out in the claims.

The fire-plug is constructed of a casing, an interior disk, and a front plate, with adjustable openings to establish connection with the supply-pipes of the casing and the nozzles of the closing front plate, and open or close the plug, a spring-stop looking the disk into position. A waste-cock at the elbow of the supply-pipes serves to drain any water from the same.

In the drawing, A represents the main casing of the fire-plug; B, the interior revolving wheel or disk, and G the outer face-plate, that is secured to the casing by suitable fasteningscrews. The casn g A is cast at the back with two supply-openings, a, that turn at right an gles toward two corresponding openings, a of the disk B, and the nozzles a of the front plate O. The disk B turns on a central shaft, that passesthrough perforations of casing and front plate, and is provided with screwnuts at the ends to tighten the parts closely to prevent leakin g. The contact parts of casing, disk, and face-plate are lined with soft metal to allow the tight packing of the same;

The wheel B is turned by means of a pinion, B', at the upper part of the casing, the

pinion being revolved by a crank applied to sition or with one or both holes open. The

spring-stop has to be released before the disk can be turned by the crank. A Washer, e., with indicators e', is keyed to the shaft of the disk in such a manner that the indicatcrs follow the motion ot' the disk, and show the positon of the exit-holes of the same. The nozzles of the front plate are closed by screwcaps, which are taken off when the hose is to be scre'wed on.

The fire-plug may be constructed in connection with a lamp-post, in which case suitable arrangements for the gas-pipes have to be made.

The openings a of the casing connect by downward-extending pipes D and elbows D at suitable depth, with the inclined or sl oping pipes D that form the connection with the main supply-pipe. The elbows D are placed closely together, and connected, by exit-holes, with a joint waste-cock, f, between the same, for draining off any water gathering at the elbows, either by the leakin g of the stop-cock or valve, or for other causes. The stop-cock is controlled by a connecting-rod, f', extending upward in suitable guides to the casing of the fire-plug.

The supply-pipes D branch out from one pipe E, of suitable diameter, thatis connected to the main. Pipe E is provided with a stopcock or valve, E', that is operated in the customary manner from the street, and constructed in such a manner that one or both supply-pipes may be opened or closed, as required. When the valse closes pipe E the communication of the branch supply-pipes D is established.

The fire-plug may be used with one or two engines, the communicating disk being set accordingly. For the purpose of protecting the fire-plug against freezing in Winter the stop-cock is closed, and one of the engines detachcd, so that by a few strokcs of the remaining engine the water in the supply-pipes may be entirely pumped out. During the warm season the plug may be closed directly by the disk, as there is no danger of freezing. The I pipes, provided with a joint waste-cock, set

arrangement of branch supply-pipes may also beapplied to the plugs in commonuse-one pipe being connected to the plug, the other either to a second plug, or in factories, to the engine; or the second pipe may terminate at the level of the street, to act as air-supply pipe When the Water is punped ont by the engine, in similar manner as before described.

The fire-plugs are thus protected by a simple deviee against freezing, and may, by the constructon described, be more rapidly thrown into action for supplying water than the plugs at present in use.

'Having thus described myinven tion,Iclain as new and desire to secure by Letters Patente i 1. The combination of the adjust-able disk,

having suitable recesses, with a spring-stop device of the front plate, to secure rigid position of disk in open or closed position, as specified.

2. The eibows of the water-supplying branch from above to drain off leakage, as set forth.

3. The combination of a fire-plug' With a ter-supply pipe and a second branch ventpipe, being opened and closed bya common stop-cock or valve, to shut oi' the Water from the main and allow the pumping ont of the water from the snpply pipe by the fire or other engine, to prevent freezing up of fire-plug in the Winter season, substantially as and for' the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the double exit-openings of the casing, disk, and front plate with branch supply-pipes and a regulating stopcock or valve between the same and the main pipe, that allows the opening of one or both -branch pipes, or the communication of the branch pipes by closing the main pipe, sul)- stantially as set forth.

V CHRISTIAN F. RAPP.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. WIPPER', HUGO C. HAENGER. 

